The present invention relates generally to hair clips and, more particularly, to hair clips formed by pivotable lever members.
Prior art hair clips usually have a first jaw operable by a first opening lever and a second jaw operable by a second opening lever. Intermediate connecting areas of the first and second levers are hinged together to allow the first and second jaws to pivot relative to each other about a transverse axis between an open position and a closed position. A spring urges the first and second jaws into their closed position.
In most such prior art hair clips, the spring is a metal wire coiled around the transverse pivot axis. A first end of the metal wire is extended radially away from the axis and bears against the inside surface of the first opening lever. The second end of the metal wire extends radially away from the axis and bears against the inside surface of the second opening lever. Because the spring is prestressed, its two projecting ends urge the opening levers away from each other and so urge the jaws towards their closed positions. A typical such hair clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,127. Although, functionally effective, these prior hair clips exhibit certain undesirable characteristics. For example, the employed spring members are unsightly and during use can become entangled in hair.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved hair clip with pivotally attached lever members.